White Coat Ceremony
The NSU OTD program held their second White Coat Ceremony for the class of 2016 on August 30, 2013. The
ceremony was held in the Atrium at Nova Southeastern University Tampa. Racquel Khuri, Director of the Tampa Regional Campus started the Welcome Address.
Professor Sheila Longpré, went on to recognize the fieldwork supervisors at Center for Independent Living
Broward County, Crisis Center, and Project Return. These locations were instrumental for the first Level I Fieldwork placement in a community setting.
Elena Vizvary, President of Florida Occupational Therapy Association, spoke of the significance of the White
Coat.
Then the formal robing commenced with each student being robed by a family member or friend and their Academic Advisor. Dr. Tom Arnold assisted with the robing on behalf of Dr. Ricardo C. Carrasco. Dr. Carrasco
was assisting with advising students on behalf of Dr. Dennis P. McCarthy who started as a new faculty member
in September.
Dr. Rick D. Davenport then led the students in the White Coat Ceremony Oath and Dr. Kurt Hubbard led the
charge.
Volume 3, Issue 3
OTDNews
Class 2016
Lastly, Dr. Carrasco concluded the ceremony by giving a moving speech and encouraging the students to remember the oath they took and the significance of the white coat.
Inside this issue:
White Coat Ceremony
1
OTD in the Community
2
OTD Retreat
2
OTD Community Engagement
3
Level 1 Fieldwork
3
James Wemyss Scholarship
4
Clinical & Community Relations
4
FOTA Annual Conference
5
Our New Dean Dr. Stanley Wilson
5
Faculty Announcements
SOTA
6-7
8
Staff Announcements
9
Name the Betta Fish
10
Student Accomplishments
10
OTDNews informs supporters
and students of the Department of
Occupational Therapy of Nova
Southeastern University in Tampa
about events related to its entry-level
Doctor of Occupational Therapy
(OTD) program.
Our mission and vision are consistent with Nova Southeastern University, and through innovative curricular
design and delivery model, the OTD program prepares
qualified students to become successful occupational therapy
practitioners, managers, and leaders as generalists with
beginning specialization in a selected practice area.
OTD in the Community
Participants of Falls Prevention Awareness Day at USF Health Johnny Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute
Community Engagement-Byrd Institute
This past September 26th Dr. Whaley, Dr. McCarthy and thirteen students from the Tampa OTD program responded to an invitation from
Lori Grismore, OTR/L, to participate in a Falls Prevention Awareness Day at USF Health Johnny Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute. Students had
an opportunity to tour the Alzheimer’s Institute, meet their new Occupational Therapist, and learn about their assessment process, including a questionnaire to assess readiness to drive, vision screening, and technology to measure balance and a state-of-the-art driving simulator..
Students were also able to assist by providing tours of the Functional Assessment Unit at the Byrd Institute, educating visitors on fall prevention in the home, use of assistive and safety devices, and tips for modifying the home environment to increase safety. *Students lead
two chair exercise classes and educate attendees on low-impact exercised to maintain strength and flexibility to reduce the risk of falling. In
their own words “students felt like real OTs.” This is one of many opportunities our program has had to partner with the Institute in supporting the occupational performance of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia to improve the quality of their lives and
that of their care-partners. Dr. Whaley has served as consultant to the Byrd Institute for several years to develop their occupational therapy
department and the Functional Assessment Unit. We look forward to our continued partnership and more events to come!
OTD Retreat
OTD Faculty & Staff
The Department of Occupational Therapy’s Annual Retreat was held at Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City over the dates of October 14-15,
2013. The purpose of the retreat is program evaluation and strategic planning. Professor Sheila Longpré, Dr. Rick Davenport, Dr. Tom Arnold,
Dr. Nelson Marquez, Dr. Mirtha Whaley, Professor Guzman-Sardina, Dr. Reinoso, Professor Burgos, Dr. McCarthy, Dr. Carrasco, Lauren
Kellner, and Karla Quiñones were all in attendance. Dr. Kurt Hubbard attended via Skype.
The first day of the retreat, the faculty discussed NSU, CHCS, Department Vision and Mission Statements, Teaching Exemplar and Curriculum
Perspective, Curriculum Threads and Models, Blueprint for Occupational Therapy Education, Course Feedback, Fieldwork Issues, E-portfolio
& Digital Measures.
The second day of the retreat, the faculty discussed Strategic Planning which included a thorough SWOT analysis of Administrative, Curriculum,
Student Affairs & Marketing, Clinical & Community Relations, Research & Technology.
The faculty and staff thoroughly enjoyed the historic location of Columbia Restaurant which has been open since 1905. They also enjoyed the
authentic Spanish cuisine enjoying menu items such as Ropa Vieja, Palomilla, Eggplant Riojana, and Mahi Mahi “Varadero”.
The OTD retreat is held annually every October. The faculty and staff are looking forward to another successful retreat next year.
Page 2
OTD NEWS
OTD Community Engagement
CarFit
NSU OTD students and faculty recently volunteered at a CarFit Event sponsored by
AARP Florida and the Florida Department of
Elder Affairs.
What is CarFit for the older driver?
CarFit is an educational program, developed by AOTA, AARP, & AAA, that offers older adults the opportunity to check how well their personal vehicles
"fit" them. The CarFit program also provides information and materials on community-specific resources that could enhance their safety as drivers,
and/or increase their mobility in the community.
Dr. Whaley, Dr. McCarthy and OTD students
Why is CarFit important?
Older drivers are often the safest drivers in that they
are more likely to wear their seatbelts, and less likely
to speed or drink and drive. However, older drivers
are more likely to be killed or seriously injured when a
crash does occur due to the greater fragility of their
aging bodies. Driver safety programs improve adult
driver safety by addressing cognitive abilities and
skills, however, older drivers can also improve their
safety by ensuring their cars are properly adjusted for
them. A proper fit in one's car can greatly increase not
only the driver's safety but also the safety of others.
How is a CarFit check completed?
At a CarFit event, a team of trained technicians
and/or health professionals work with each participant to ensure they "fit" their vehicle properly for
maximum comfort and safety. A CarFit check takes
approximately 20 minutes to complete.
Technician Training was provided to all volunteers
and a Certificate of Completion was issued to those
completing the training. Certified CarFit Technicians
are able to volunteer at any CarFit function throughout the USA.
Page 3
OTD NEWS
James Wemyss Scholarship
The James Wemyss Scholarship Endowment fund is a one-time award made to continuing graduate students for the 2013/2014 academic year. Recipients must have a 3.8 or higher GPA with a
minimum of 15 NSU credits and the FAFSA for 2013/2014 must demonstrate financial need.
Students must be enrolled in in a minimum of 6 credit hours each term. The scholarship amount
varies based on available funds. Kristin McMillen is the recipient of this award and has been
awarded a scholarship in the amount of $1,129.00. Congratulations to Kristin!
Kristin McMillen Class 2015
Congratulations to Carlos M. Carrasco, MBA, OTR/L
Carlos M. Carrasco, MBA, OTR/L
Chief Operating Officer, ORMC
Orlando Health
Carlos M. Carrasco, MBA, OTR/L has been recently promoted to Chief Operating
Officer (COO), ORMC. He has 13 years of leadership and 5 years of staff experience
with Orlando Health. He moved to his current position after several roles with Orlando Health from staff occupational therapist to manager of the hospital’s skilled nursing facility, and manager of Orlando Health Rehabilitation Institute. In his current role,
he is responsible for developing the telemedicine program; outreach to other facilities;
identifying, developing, and piloting innovations for Orlando Health; and corporate
planning. Mr. Carrasco received his BS in Occupational Therapy from the Medical
University of South Carolina and a Masters in Business Administration from Webster
University.
Carlos M. Carrasco, MBA, OTR/L
Clinical & Community Relations
During the Summer semester, the OTD Class of 2015 completed their level 1 fieldwork experience in
community mental health associated with OTD 8271: Occupational Therapy Interventions I: Psychosocial
& Community. Upon completion of the didactic portion of OTD 8272: Occupational Therapy Intervention II: Children & Youth, they will complete their second level I fieldwork rotation in pediatrics. Facilities
that have agreed to take students are: : Therapies Plus in Lutz; Baudhuin Preschool in Ft. Lauderdale;
Broward Health in Coral Springs, Lakeville Area Public Schools in Lakville, MN; Children’s Special Services in Atlanta; Children’s Therapy Works in Atlanta; USF Early Steps Program in Tampa; Martin Health
System in Stuart; Central Florida Pediatric Associates in Minneola; Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando; Joyful Motion in Palm Harbour; Interplay Pediatric Occupational Therapy in Greenacres; and McRory
Pediatrics in Encino, CA. Best of luck to OTD students during their fieldwork experience. Make NSU
proud!
Page 4
OTDNEWS
FOTA Annual Conference
FOTA Annual Conference
Both Dr. Davenport and Dr. Carrasco recently attended and presented at
FOTA’s Annual Conference in Daytona Beach, FL. Please make sure to congratulate Dr. Carrasco on receiving the David D. Clark Award of Excellence for his
longstanding and significant contributions to the profession of Occupational
Therapy and the advancement of FOTA! FOTA’s next annual conference will be
held at Florida Gulf Coast University in Ft. Myers in 2014.
Dr. Ricardo Carrasco and the David D. Clark Award of Excellence
Our New Dean Dr. Stanley Wilson
Dr. Stanley Wilson, PT, EdD, CEAS. is the new Dean for the College of Health Care Sciences. As dean Dr. Stanley Wilson is responsible to ensure that the College of Health Science’s
policies and procedures are in agreement with the university polices for the well-being of our
students, staff and faculty members. As well as overseeing all academic programs within the
college, ensuring they maintain their integrity.
Dr. Stanley Wilson is involved in the creation of five subtask forces that are intended to the
best practices are adopted. Some of these sub tasks are: Clinical Education – emphasizing all
CHCS programs, Simulation – already being utilized in the college of Nursing and Anesthesiology Assistant program, and Inter-professional Education – emphasis on serving patients as
a clinical team in accordance with the Affordable Care Act.
Some of the things Dr. Stanley Wilson enjoy is the vide variety of program offered by the
NSU’s College of Health Care Sciences.
Dr. Stanley Wilson, PT, EdD, CEAS
Page 5
OTD NEWS
Faculty Announcements
New Faculty Members
The OTD Department would like to welcome new faculty members: Dr.
Tom Arnold, Dr. Dennis McCarthy, and Dr. Gustavo Reinoso!
Thomas P. Arnold, PhD
Dr. Arnold Joined the Tampa OTD program in Fall of 2013. Previously he was
professor and program director of the basic health sciences at South University,
Tampa and taught the graduate anatomy and physiology courses for the physician assistant program. He graduated from Palm Beach State College (AA) and
the University of Florida (BS). His undergraduate studies included zoology and
chemistry. His graduate studies include molecular biology at UF and human tissue culture and in vivo human disease modeling at the University of South Florida, College of Medicine where he earned a PhD in medical science. After graduate school, Dr. Arnold completed two post-doctoral fellowships of 2 years each
in endocrinology and molecular medicine.
Dr. Tom P. Arnold
Dr. Arnold has taught human anatomy and physiology for 20+ years at 3 institutions where he earned tenure twice and achieved the rank of professor. He has
served as science department head at two universities over the past 9 years.
Twice he received multi-year research grants (NIH, NSF) and held the Lockheed-Martin endowed chair for the physical and natural sciences at Valencia
College.
His proudest achievement is that he headed the Minority Bridges to the Baccalaureate program at Valencia College for 5 years and supervised over 125 student
interns in summer medical research. Many of those students went on to graduate
and professional school and are now faculty and practitioners including a faculty
member at Nova Southeastern University, Tampa!
He is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, Tri-Beta, the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society and is a council member of the Florida Academy of Sciences.
Dr. Dennis P. McCarthy
Dennis P. McCarthy, PhD, MEd, OTR/L
Dennis P. McCarthy, PhD, MEd, OTR/L is an Associate Professor and the
Director of Student Affairs and Marketing in Nova Southeastern University’s
Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program in Tampa, FL. Dr. McCarthy received his Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Florida International University, Master of Education from Florida Atlantic University, and
Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Florida.
Dr. McCarthy’s clinical experience focused on clients with physical disabilities
with a specialization in treating those with spinal cord, cerebral vascular accidents, and brain injury. His research interests include all aspects of community
mobility for seniors and those with disabilities, including driving and the use of
alternative forms of transportation, as well as the impact of the built environment on transportation mode choice and health.
Dr. McCarthy serves on the Florida Department of Transportation’s Safe Mobility for Life Coalition and is on the Leadership Committee for the American Society on Aging’s Network for Environment, Service and Technology. He is also
the Co-Chair of the American Society on Aging’s Transportation Peer Group.
Page 6
OTD NEWS
Faculty Announcements continued...
Gustavo Reinoso, PhD, OTR/L
Dr. Gustavo Reinoso
Dr. Gustavo Reinoso, Ph.D., OTR/L, joined the Nova Southeastern University (NSU) Tampa OTD program in November 2013 as Assistant Professor and Academic Fieldwork Coordinator. He graduated as an occupational therapist in Argentina and received his Ph.D. in Occupational Therapy from Nova Southeastern University (NSU). Dr. Reinoso has 18 years of
clinical experience working with children with a variety of diagnoses and
their families. His work and research interests in play, sensory processing/
sensory integration, development, primary care and private practice has
allowed him to work in a variety of national and international settings
through consultation, direct service provision and continuing education.
He regularly presents his work and delivers continuing education in several
countries in Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Panamá,
Perú, Venezuela), Europe (Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom) and Saudi Arabia, among others. Dr. Reinoso has published articles in
peer review journals, professional magazines, letters to the editor, book
chapters and opinion pieces on several professional topics. Dr. Reinoso is
an instructor for the Sensory Integration Certification through the University of Southern California (USC), Division of Occupational Science and
Occupational Therapy and Western Psychological Services (WPS). He has
been awarded honorary member status in the sensory integration associations of Argentina, Chile and Perú. He is also co-founder of Advance Therapy Systems (ATS), two clinical sites in the Republic of Ireland. These clinical sites specialize in the provision of therapeutic services for children, adolescents and adults through innovative programs and combined approaches.
"Man, through the use of his hands, as they are energized by mind and will, can influence the state of his own health."
Mary Reilly
Page 7
OTD NEWS
SOTA New Officers
Secretary - Nikita Mathew
President - Jaslin Parhar
Vice President - Amanda Skillen
Treasurer - Kim Yetman
PR Chair - Kristin McMillen
Student Occupational Therapy Association
Page 8
OTD NEWS
Staff Announcements
Lauren Kellner
Lauren Kellner joined the NSU OTD program as Administrative Assistant on July 22,
2013. As administrative assistant, she was responsible for providing general office support. Lauren has been recently promoted to Fieldwork Support Coordinator as of January 19, 2014. She is very excited about her new role and responsibilities as Fieldwork
Support Coordinator.
She previously attended the University of Central Florida with a major in Hospitality
Management. Lauren has ten years of experience in various positions within the hospitality industry. She has worked for Walt Disney World Resort, Rosen Shingle Creek Resort
in Orlando, and Sky Hotels and Resorts’ corporate office in Orlando. Most recently Lauren held the position of Sales Manager at DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Tampa Bay.
Lauren is currently completing her bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Nova
Southeastern University and is then planning on continuing her education in the mental
health field.
Lauren Kellner, Fieldwork Support Coordinator
Sima Patel
Sima Joined Nova Southeastern University’s Department of Occupational Therapy
as a FWS Lab Assistant on November 25, 2013. As a lab assistant , she is responsible for assisting professors with lab setups and office assistance. She previously
attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a major in Kinesiology. She has three years of experience in the fitness industry and is a past VicePresident of the Health and Wellness Club at Nova Southeastern University in
Tampa. She enjoys running and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Sima is currently
completing her doctorate degree in physical therapy at Nova Southeastern University. She plans on becoming a physical therapist upon graduation.
Sima Patel , FWS
Chair Chats
Every Thursday of each on-campus institute, Department Chair, Dr. Carrasco shares department updates, college events, and provide recognitions for accomplishments such as scholarships and honor awards. During the session OTD students also share information about classes, as
well as provide positive feedback an concerns or suggestions about the program.
Page 9
OTD NEWS
“Name the Betta Fish” Contest Class of 2016
Congratulations to Kim Bartels Class of 2016
For winning the “Name the Betta Fish” contest. After a careful review of several names submitted by the OTD students, “Murphy”
was the chosen one. Kim won a one year membership to the Florida
Occupational Therapy Association when her current membership
expires.
Above, Murphy, the Class of 2015 Betta Fish, Right, Kim Bartels,
Class of 2016
Student Accomplishments
End of Summer Semester 2013
Chancellor’s List
Dean’s List
3.8 G.P.A. or higher
3.6 G.P.A. or higher
Bryant, Chelsea
Demetrius, Ricardo
Freeman, Lillian
Granata, Meghan
He-Strocchio, Ni
Holmes, Larry
Hough, Hillarie
Page 10
McMillen, Kristin
Patel, Shree
Stedman, Ashley
Tran, My-Lynn
Whitacre, Hillary
Williams, Jamie
Meach, Lee
Sylvia, Stephanie
Bartels, Kimberly
Dadez, Megan
Rosen, Mara
Taylor, Shannon
OTD NEWS